Islamic Spanish Column Capital
Brief Identification Column capital composed of white marble from Cordoban caliphate, Spain. It was created in the third quarter of the 10th century A.D, during the Umayyad dynasty in Spain. Its dimensions are Height x Diameter: 35.5 x 53.3 cm (14 x 21 in.). It currently resides at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Technical Evaluation The capital has "four-petaled flowers in double scrolls on the lower part; leaves, scrolls, and flowers above with a narrow bead molding between." It has an Arabic inscription of the word or name "Fath" (victory). However, an alternate reading suggests that the inscription is "Falih," possibly the name of the artisan. The details were carved and drilled into the marble surface https://www.mfa.org/collections/object/capital-226641 Museum of Fine Arts Boston. This piece exhibits elements of Umayyad Syrian art's classical tradition. Considering the origin of this caliphal house (711–1031) in Syria, which took hold of Spain after the Umayyad dynasty was replaced and almost extinguished by the new 'Abbasid rulers centered in Baghdad. Originally, this capital likely decorated a "colonnaded hall or courtyard arcade in one of the lavishly embellished palaces erected during the tenth century under the patronage of the Umayyad dynasty in and around" its capital at Cordoba https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/448410 Metropolitan Museum of Art. The "overwhelming majority of surviving objects from al-Andalus were made for courtly settings" (Dodds, XIX). Local Historical Context On July 19, 711, the army of the Islamic Umayyad caliphate, along with Berber soldiers, landed on the Iberian Peninsula. The reason is "most likely that, during the heady decades of the late seventh and early eighth centuries, highly energized Muslim Arab generals moved into any areas experiencing vacuums of centralized power or irreducible internal conflicts" (Dodds, p. 3-4). At this time, Spain fit such a description perfectly. Through warfare and diplomacy, the entire peninsula fell under their control by 717, with the exceptions of Galicia and Asturias in the far north. However, frontiers with the Christian north were unstable. al-Andalus was the name given to the new Islamic territories, and a provincial government established in the name of the Umayyad caliphate in Damascus administered them from Córdoba. Of this early period of the Umayyad governors 711–756), only "coins and scant ceramic fragments" remain https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/sumay/hd_sumay.htm Museum of Modern Art. In 750, the Abbasids overthrew the Umayyad caliphate of Damascus. "The last surviving member of the Umayyad dynasty fled to Spain, establishing himself as Amir ‘Abd al-Rahman I and thus initiating the Umayyad emirate (756–929)" https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/sumay/hd_sumay.htm Museum of Modern Art Establishing Córdoba as the capital and fostering diplomatic ties with the surrounding civilizations, ‘Abd al-Rahman I (r. 756–788) unified al-Andalus while maintaining cultural contact with the ‘Abbasid Caliphate. "The initial construction of the Great Mosque of Córdoba under his patronage was the crowning achievement of this formative period of Hispano-Islamic art and architecture" https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/sumay/hd_sumay.htm Museum of Modern Art During his reign as Cordoba's second Umayyad Emir, al-Hakam I (r. 788-796) "built the Great Mosque of Cordova and the bridge across the Rio Guadalquivir" (James, p. 83). Although Cordoba was renowned for its beautiful palaces, mosque, and bridge, "nothing is said of any manufactures or industries having their headquarters there" (Whishaw, p. 11). The capital served more as a center of learned men and bureaucracy, while other cities and districts provided the necessary agriculture and industry. Along with others like it, the royal workshops for Madinat al-Zahra likely produced this capital. The Umayyad caliph ‘Abd al-Rahman III (r. 912–961) began construction in 936 on the outskirts of Cordoba, and his son and heir, al-Hakam II (r. 961–976) continued the project. "The palaces of Madinat al-Zahra, their reception halls lavishly adorned with carved and painted stone capitals, arcades, and wall panels—all set within verdant gardens, open courtyards, and reflecting pools—are a testament to the wealth, power, and artistic accomplishments of the Umayyad caliphs at the height of their rule"https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/448410 Museum of Modern Art. World-Historical Significance Islamic rule in Spain and throughout the world left its mark through religious, cultural, and physical means. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "As it is not only a religion but a way of life, Islam fostered the development of a distinctive culture with its own unique artistic language that is reflected in art and architecture throughout the Muslim world." "Under Islamic Umayyad rule, there is remarkable cross-cultural exchange between Christian, Jewish, and Muslim populations. Eastern Mediterranean cultural impulses complement local developments and help establish a rich and diverse artistic tradition. In the tenth century, the style set in Córdoba, one of the great cultural centers of Europe, is emulated throughout the region and beyond" https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/06/eusi.html Metropolitan Museum of Art. Islamic art's impressive geographic spread and long history, as well as changes within the various periods of its development, have made it subject to a wide range of regional and even national styles and influences. "It is all the more remarkable then that, even under these circumstances, Islamic art has always retained its intrinsic quality and unique identity. Just as the religion of Islam embodies a way of life and serves as a cohesive force among ethnically and culturally diverse peoples, the art produced by and for Muslim societies has basic identifying and unifying characteristics" https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/orna/hd_orna.htm Metropolitan Museum of Art. Bibliography Dodds, Jerrilynn D., ed. Al-Andalus: The Art of Islamic Spain. New York, New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1992. James, David. Early Islamic Spain: The History of Ibn Al-Qutiya. New York, New York: Routledge, 2009. Whishaw, Bernhard, and Ellen M. Whishaw. Arabic Spain: Sidelights on Her History and Art. Reading, UK: Garner Publishing, 2002. 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